1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an output control device, an output control method and a storage medium storing a program readable by computer, which device communicates via a certain communication medium with a plurality of host computers and also with output apparatuses having drawing units which draw image data capable of being output from the output unit based on output information from the plurality of host computers, and processes output requests.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known arrangements of output apparatuses such as printers or photocopiers connected to a network have been such wherein the user had to set the standard font, size, paper cassette, etc., for each output apparatus, using separate operating panels.
Recently, computer operating systems have developed, and printer drivers have accordingly come into widespread use. Thus, the user can set the printing settings using the printer driver program upon performing printing.
However, in the event of printing directly from UNIX or DOS, a printer driver is not used, so printing is performed based on the printing settings made at the output apparatus. Accordingly, the user has to change the settings from the operating panel of the output apparatus each time the font being used or the paper size is to be changed for printing. Also, there are arrangements wherein a user interface can be used from a host computer to change the settings of the output apparatus, but even with such arrangements, setting of the setting information has had to be performed separately for each output apparatus.
Accordingly, there has been the problem that administrator time and trouble are increased for each extra apparatus, since a network administrator overseeing many such output apparatuses needed to repeat the same setting procedure for each output apparatus.
The preset invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and it is an object thereof to provide an output control device, an output control method and a storage medium storing a program readable by computer, capable of automating the operating of making various settings to the drawing unit of printing apparatuses in an arrangement wherein a plurality of host computers share printing apparatuses connected to a network, by means of obtaining from a host computer a setting information file to be set to the printing apparatuses and transferring this file to the drawing unit of the printing apparatus, thereby markedly decreasing the operational load on the administrator overseeing the printing apparatuses.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, an output control device, which communicates via a certain communication medium with a plurality of host computers and also with output apparatuses having drawing units which draw image data capable of being output from the output unit based on output information from the plurality of host computers and processes output requests, comprises: obtaining means for obtaining a setting information file to be set to the drawing unit from one of the host computers at a certain timing; converting means for analyzing the setting information file obtained by the obtaining means and converting it to commands to be set to the drawing unit; and communication means for transferring the aforementioned commands converted by the aforementioned converting means to the aforementioned drawing unit.
According to a second aspect of the preset invention, the output control device further comprises setting means for setting the host computer from which to obtain the setting information file at a certain timing. The obtaining means obtains the setting information file to be set to the drawing unit from the one host computer set by the setting means, at a certain timing.
According to a third aspect of the preset invention, the certain timing is upon startup of electrical power.
According to a fourth aspect of the preset invention, the certain timing is upon reception of a reset command from each host computer.
According to a fifth aspect of the preset invention, the certain timing is upon a reset instruction from the operating panel of the aforementioned output apparatus.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, an output control method, which involves communicating via a certain communication medium with a plurality of host computers and also with output apparatuses having drawing units which draw image data capable of being output from the output unit based on output information from the plurality of host computers and processes output requests, comprises: an obtaining step for obtaining a setting information file to be set to the drawing unit from one of the host computers at a certain timing; and a transferring step for analyzing the obtained setting information file and transferring commands to be set to the drawing unit, to the drawing unit.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a storage medium stores a program readable by computer, which involves communicating via a certain communication medium with a plurality of host computers and also with output apparatuses having drawing units which draw image data capable of being output from the output unit based on output information from the plurality of host computers, the program stored by the storage medium comprising: an obtaining step for obtaining a setting information file to be set to the drawing unit from one of the host computers at a certain timing; and a transferring step for analyzing the obtained setting information file and transferring commands to be set to the drawing unit, to the drawing unit.